The present invention relates generally to mixing consoles well suited for use in signal processing on audio signals, for example, in a concert hall, recording studio or the like, and more particularly to an improvement of operability of an operation panel operable by a user in a mixing console.
Heretofore, digital mixing consoles (hereinafter referred to simply as “mixers”) have been known which perform signal processing on audio signals of a plurality of channels solely through digital processing. Generally, such mixers include, on an operation panel provided on the upper surface of a casing, a channel strip section comprising a plurality of channel strips, and the mixers are constructed to set values of primary parameters for signal processing to be performed on audio signals of channels allocated to the individual channel strips by using a manual control (such as a fader) of each channel strip. For such mixers, a channel selection function has heretofore been known which selects any one of the plurality of channels allocated to the channel strips and adjusts values of various parameters of the selected one channel.
The conventionally-known channel selection function is arranged to select one channel as an object of operation for one mixer. In this connection, the mixer disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2011-109554 (hereinafter referred to as “Patent Literature 1”) includes a multipurpose display and can set whether a detailed setting screen relating to one channel selected in response to a channel selection operation should be displayed on the display (interlock ON) or a channel to be displayed on the detailed setting screen should not be changed even if the channel selection operation is performed and a channel having been displayed on the screen till the channel selection operation should be maintained (interlock OFF). In this case, the channel to be displayed on the screen can be made independent of the channel set as a current object of operation of the channel selection function. However, with the construction disclosed in Patent Literature 1, there is a need to perform an operation combining an interlock ON/OFF setting operation and the channel selection operation, which is very cumbersome.
Further, the mixer, disclosed in “YAMAHA PM1D Version DIGITAL MIXING CONSOLE” by YAMAHA Corporation found at the following Internet URL: http://proaudio.yamaha.co.jp/downloads/brochures/mixers/pm1dv2 brochure ja.pdf, which is an online product brochure prepared in November 2005 (searched on Oct. 9, 2014) (hereinafter referred to as “Non-Patent Literature 1”), includes, on an operation panel, a selector channel section for input channels and a selector channel section for output channels, with which one channel each can be selected from the input channels and the output channels. However, this only allows one channel each to be selected from the input channels and the output channel. Moreover, areas on the operation panel for operating the selected channels are fixed, that is, fixed areas are provided for the input channels and the output channels, separately.
Further, the mixer, disclosed in the “YAMAHA DIGITAL MIXING CONSOLE CL5/CL3/CL1/Owner's Manual” published by YAMAHA Corporation and found at the following Internet URL: http://www2.yamaha.co.jp/manual/pdf/pa/japan/mixers/c15_ja_om_d0.pdf?_ga=1.84715153.902378368.1413248849, which is an online document published in 2012 (searched on Oct. 9, 2014) (hereinafter referred to as “Non-Patent Literature 2”), is configured such that combinations of the channels allocated to a channel strip group is switched collectively by each fader bank, and each fader bank holds information that specifies the one selected channel. In this case as well, only one channel can be set as the object of operation on the operation panel.
As described above, a conventional selection function basically provides selection of one channel for one mixer, and thus, it is impossible to select a plurality of channels to promptly operate the values of the parameters of the plurality of channels.